Children's home run by Keys Child Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2737731 1 Registered provider: Keys Child Care Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a large national organisation. The home provides care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2023.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 13 February 2024

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2737731 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/02/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2737731 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has left the home, and one child has moved in. At the time of this inspection, three children are living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Planned moves carefully consider all children living at the home, how children will interact with one another and how they will form friendships. Shared interests, such as arts and music, have helped build positive peer relationships among the three children. Each child is given the opportunity to understand the home environment, meet staff and begin forming relationships before moving in. This helps children to settle in comfortably and feel secure.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are registered with appropriate health services, and specialist support is sought when necessary. For example, one child recently underwent successful surgery to restore their sight, following staff advocacy and support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work proactively with educational professionals to ensure that children’s learning needs are met. When personal circumstances affect education, additional measures are put in place to minimise disruption and ensure progress. Relationships with educational providers are strong, ensuring a collaborative approach to support children’s attainment and well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have strong, trusting relationships with staff, who they feel comfortable approaching for help and support. The company’s specialist team provides consultations to staff, ensuring they have the knowledge and strategies to meet children’s emotional and behavioural needs. Children’s progress is regularly reviewed using information from multiple sources, including the children themselves, to identify and target areas for additional support. Staff help children understand the value of positive behaviours, empathy, taking responsibility and making healthy choices. This approach has had a positive impact, with one child noting they now feel more patient and supported.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s meetings are educational and encourage discussions about culture, equality and diversity. Children have participated in activities related to Black History Month, Chinese New Year and Ramadan, and have a planned visit to a mosque. Workshops and interactive sessions help children develop awareness and appreciation of a multicultural society. ‘Our Voice’ meetings provide a platform for children to express their wishes and feelings. Recent discussions have included ideas for redecorating the home. Children can earn tokens for positive behaviour and contributions, which they can save towards personal goals. For example, one child used their savings to purchase a CD player and concert tickets.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s complaints are taken seriously and managed in line with established procedures. Children are kept informed throughout the process and provided with clear outcomes and offers of support. Inspection report for children’s home: 2737731 4 Staff actively support children’s interests. One child who has a passion for music is attending jazz classes, while another experienced their first holiday abroad, inspiring a desire to travel. Staff create memory journals to capture significant moments, helping children reflect on positive experiences and milestones. Staff engage in activities that children enjoy, such as board games, arts and crafts, camping trips and beach visits. These experiences foster friendships and social skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children in maintaining family connections by arranging and planning family visits. Staff encourage family time at the home, promoting quality interactions and strengthening bonds. Regular updates are provided to family members to keep them informed and involved.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff have a thorough understanding of each child’s needs before they move in. Risks and support needs are identified in advance, with strategies put in place to mitigate potential challenges. When additional support is required, timely referrals are made to ensure that the necessary services are in place.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The staff team has undertaken safeguarding training, ensuring that staff are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to keep children safe. The company’s clinical team provides ongoing support to staff, helping them to understand children’s behaviours and manage risks effectively. This input directly informs care planning and safety strategies for each child. Staff recently completed an additional six-week training course with child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), further enhancing their safeguarding skills.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Each child has a child-friendly risk assessment and behaviour support plan. Staff work closely with children to help them recognise risks and develop strategies to manage and keep them safe. Resources and guidance are provided to empower children to make safe choices. Risk and behaviour plans are regularly reviewed and adapted to reflect children’s evolving needs. This proactive approach has contributed to a reduction in missing-from-home episodes and other risks.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The manager maintains thorough oversight and review of incidents. Learning from any shortcomings is used to improve practice. Incidents are responded to promptly and effectively. There is a good level of recording and debriefing processes, involving both staff and children, to ensure everyone learns and reflects from incidents.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Procedures for managing missing-from-home incidents are established and followed. The staff manage incidents involving substance misuse swiftly and effectively. Staff demonstrate vigilance and curiosity, ensuring that children’s safety remains the top priority. Specialist services provide targeted advice, support and learning opportunities for children. These interventions help children to better understand the risks and impacts of substance misuse. Inspection report for children’s home: 2737731 5 Staff are aware of the risks children face online and have implemented protective measures. Risk assessments and safety plans cover online activity, supported by the use of an app that monitors inappropriate website searches. This preventative, early intervention tool allows staff to identity and address issues promptly. Children are offered key-worker sessions to educate them about online risks and develop safer online

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager maintains oversight and demonstrates a clear presence. The manager adopts a child-centred vision, ensuring that every aspect of the home caters to the needs of the children. The staff team uses the clinical consultancy team for additional advice and support, allowing staff to focus on areas of greatest need.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A stable and consistent workforce provides children with opportunities to connect and form meaningful relationships. This aligns with the home’s statement of purpose. The diverse staff team enhances children’s curiosity about the world through cultural sharing and educational experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive a comprehensive induction and ongoing training programme. While most staff have completed necessary training, a training tracker is in place to ensure timely updates and completion of required training. The staff team is committed to ongoing learning, with attendance at specialised courses. Two members of staff attended a six- day course through CAMHS. This learning has further enhanced staff’s ability to support children affectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular and effective supervision sessions that cover welfare matters, child updates in health and safety and training needs. However, the supervision provided for senior staff is brief and lacks reflective discussions around children and staff support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is aware of the areas that need improvement and is actively working with staff to raise standards and enhance practice. Challenges are addressed with empathy and understanding, while maintaining clear direction and accountability among the workforce. Staff value the flexibility and understanding shown by the management team. They express interest in career progression and appreciate the encouragement to further develop their skills. Inspection report for children’s home: 2737731 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the social care common inspection framework. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children’s home: 2737731 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Child Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Keys Care Ltd, Maybrook House, Third Floor, Queensway, Halesowen B63 4AH

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Inspector

Tazim Akhtar, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2737731 8 and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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